Cylindrical gas generators, whose metal surfaces have discharge or emission holes arranged in a thrust-neutral manner within a ring-shaped area, are known for filling airbags. To this end, the ring-shaped area can be relatively small, or can extend over nearly the entire length of the lateral surface. Such an arrangement of emission holes has the advantage that, in case of an unintentional triggering of the gas generators, such as in a warehouse fire, the escaping gas will not accelerate the gas generators like a rocket.
In many applications, it is nevertheless necessary to completely or partially deflect the gas flow issuing from such a gas generator. It is known from WO 02/079008 A1, for example, to arrange a deflector element with a semicircular cross section on the lateral surface of such a gas generator, the deflector element covering half of the emission holes. This serves to protect the surrounding airbag fabric and causes the flow direction of the escaping gas to be oriented radially relative to the longitudinal axis of the gas generator.
DE 20 2004 009 002.3 discloses, among other things, a gas generator unit in which a bushing, which surrounds the cylindrical gas generator and forms a deflector element, deflects the gas flow axially.
The gas generator units, which consist of a gas generator and a deflector element rigidly connected to the gas generator, are frequently prefabricated as a subassembly and possibly placed in intermediate storage. However, these have the disadvantage that there is no thrust-neutrality and the gas generator units represent considerable danger in the event of a warehouse fire.